Effect of β-elemene on the kinetics of intracellular transport of d-luciferin potassium salt (ABC substrate) in doxorubicin-resistant breast cancer cells and the associated molecular mechanism.

In order to explore the mechanism of the reversing multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotypes by β-elemene (β-ELE) in doxorubicin (DOX)-resistant breast cancer cells (MCF-7/DOX), both the functionality and quantity of the ABC transporters in MCF-7/DOX were studied. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) was used to study the efflux of d-luciferin potassium salt, the substrate of ATP-binding cassette transporters (ABC transporters), in MCF-7/DOX cells treated by β-ELE. At the same time three major ABC transport proteins and genes-related MDR, P-glycoprotein (P-gp, ABCB1) and multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP, ABCC1) as well as breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP, ABCG2) were analyzed by q-PCR and Western blot.

[Chemical Constituents from Rhizome of Valeriana jatamansi].

Objective: To study the chemical constituents from the rhizome of Valeriana jatamansi.

Methods: The chemical constituents were separated and purified by silica gel, medium pressure column chromatography, and preparative HPLC. Their structures were determined by physicochemical properties and spectral data.

[Optimization of ultrasonic extraction conditions of safflower yellow from Carthamus tinctorius by response surface methodology].

Objective: To investigate the optimization of extraction conditions of safflower yellow from Cartbamus tirwtorius by response surface methodology.

Methods: Experimental factors and levels were selected by one-factor test, and then according to the central composite experimental design principle, response surface'-methodology with three factors and three levels was used to establish a mathematical model to obtain the optimal extraction conditions with hydroxysafflower yellow A being the target and its extraction yield as response value.

Results: The optimal extraction conditions of safflower yellow were as follows: extraction temperature was 55 t, ratio of water to raw material was 16:1 and extraction time was 39 mm for three times.